I started wrestling at age 6 and continued through college at Slippery Rock University. I was extremely competitive. When I stopped wrestling, I looked for an outlet and decided to try natural bodybuilding. I competed a few times and won a state show at age 22, more than 20 years ago.
On January 1, 2012, I decided I needed something more to keep me in the gym and wanted to compete naturally again. I knew it would be tough. I hovered at 200 pounds with very high body fat. I'm not the type of person to enter and get tired of it. I was in it to win and started that day with a goal to compete in a natural South Carolina state show called the Carolina Supernatural.
My passion for the sport feels similar to wrestling because it's an individual endeavor. There's nobody to blame if you fail and that motivates me every day.
The dedication it takes to excel at this sport is something many can't understand. The difference between being in shape and stepping on stage in peak condition is night and day.
My inspiration comes from my family and faith.
I want to compete as a pro on the national level and win the INBA Natural Olympia in 2014.
If you want to succeed and compete, stick to your training program and nutritional plan 100 percent!
Doug Miller. He's from my home state (Pennsylvania) and I admire his physique and philosophy. He practices carb cycling and his following quote is where we agree most: "I never stray from my diet when preparing for a show and always eat extremely clean year round. It's important to stay lean in the offseason so the journey is easier when it's time to diet down."
Bodybuilding.com was the first place I went to when I decided to compete again. It's the first site I open in the morning and the last site I visit before bed. I get my supplements from this site and developed my training programs and nutritional protocols its various articles. I use Layne Norton's contest prep articles most to get ready for contests. I also read the featured articles and transformations daily and venture to the forums (for entertainment purposes).
Competition history
–Carolina Supernatural - June 16, 2012 - 2nd Place Men's Masters,
2nd Place Men's Novice Lightweight
–SNBF Southern Open Championship - July 21, 2012 - 1st Place Men's Masters (won pro card),
2nd Place Men's Open Lightweight
–OBC Natural Steel Championships - September 15, 2012 - 2nd Place Men's
Open Bantamweight, 4th Place Men's Masters
–Carolina Supernatural - June 15, 2013 - 1st Place Men's Masters,
1st Place Men's Open Lightweight, 2nd Place Men's Open Overall
- "Sail" by Awolnation
- "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
- "Break Every Chain" by Tasha Cobb
- "Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave
- "Not Afraid" by Eminem